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An effective RealtorŪ working as a Listing Agent will never tell a client what they want to
hear if it's not true. All too often, inexperienced listing agents will "ooh and aah" over a
client's home, knowing that what is expected of them cannot be done in good faith. An effective
listing agent will always recommend a realistic price and make suggestions to increase a home's
value or reduce marketing time, even if it means telling the client things they do not want to
hear. An Experienced Agent accepts the fact that they may periodically lose business because
they are truthful with their clients, while their competitors might tell clients what they
want to hear to get their business. Although, this often turns out to be temporary because
the element of trust is missing. We will always remember that to have a winning relationship
with our clients means we must always have a mutual goal.
Listing agents with the prestigious Certified Luxury Home Specialist designation have been
trained to serve as effective sellers' representatives. They are recognized throughout the
industry as the elite of luxury home marketers. These specialized RealtorsŪ possess
up-to-the-minute research in marketing trends and patterns of affluent home owners and
home buyers.
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What to expect from your listing agent
From whom would you buy your next home? Make sure you ask yourself this question when you
interview RealtorsŪ before selecting your Listing Agent.
Make sure your listing agent is honest, consistent, and firm in their ability to negotiate
the best price for your home. Quick acceptance of a seller's request to lower the commission
is a sure sign the RealtorŪ is a less capable negotiator!
A Listing Agent should be pragmatic, realistic, and honest. An effective Listing Agent will
never lose sight of honesty, loyalty, understanding, accountability and creativity. These
attributes are what make your Listing Agent stand apart from the real estate masses.
An effective Listing Agent works full time in the real estate business and will prioritize
schedules to work with qualified buyers for your home. The Listing Agent will always promote
the best interest of the owner, obtain the best price for the owner, and always disclose to
the owner all facts that might affect or influence their decisions.
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 Home buyers usually consult a variety of information sources. Despite the growing number of
these sources over the years, one constant has remained: Most home buyers value the information
they receive from the real estate professional. Last year, four out of five buyers used a real
estate agent as an information source during their home search. Other popular information
sources included newspaper advertisements, yard signs, home book magazines, and open houses.
Ten years ago, 41 percent of buyers reported that open houses were an information source.
Today, this figure stands at 28 percent. The only information source that saw an increase was
the internet. In 1995, just two percent of buyers used the internet as an information source.
Last year, however, 37 percent of buyers used the internet. The highest rate of use was in
the Northeast, where nearly one out of every two buyers perused the Web when conducting their
home search.
PRICE The best chance for selling your property is within the first seven weeks.
Studies show that the longer a property stays on the market, the less the seller will net.
It is very important for you and your Listing Agent to price your property at a competitive
market value at the signing of the Listing Agreement. The market is so competitive that even
over-pricing by a few percent could mean that your house will not sell. Interestingly, your
first offer is usually your best offer. Here are some reasons for pricing your property at
the market value right from the start in order to net you the most amount of money in the
shortest amount of time. An overpriced home:
1. Minimizes offers
2. Lowers agents' responses
3. Limits qualified buyers
4. Lowers showings
5. Lowers prospects
6. Limits financing
7. Wastes advertising dollars
8. Nets less for the seller
CONDITION Most people are turned off by even the smallest amount of uncleanliness or
odor when buying a home. Sellers lose thousands of dollars because their houses are not clean.
If your house is squeaky clean, you will be able to sell your house faster and net hundreds, if
not thousands, of dollars or more. If you are planning on moving, why not get rid of that old
junk now so that your house will appear larger? Make more space. Odors must be eliminated,
especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers, or if you are a smoker. You
may not notice the smell, but buyers do!
PREPARATION Top selling agents will not show your home if both the key and access are
not readily available. They will not run around town all day picking up and dropping off keys,
because their time is money and they want to sell homes! The best way to show a house is to
have it readily accessible. When your home is going to be shown, please do the following:
1. Turn all your lights on
2. Open all of your drapes and shutters
3. Unlock all of your doors (except the front door)
4. If needed, take a short walk with your children and pets, leave the premises.
5. Let the agents do their job so the buyer can be at ease.
IMPROVEMENTS Paint and carpet are the best improvement investments for getting a
greater return on you money. New paint makes a whole house smell clean and neat. If your house
has chipped or faded paint, exposed wood, or looks faded, it is time to paint. If your carpet
is worn, dirty, outdated, or has an unusual color, you should seriously consider replacing it.
Many houses do not sell because of this problem. Don't think buyers have more money than you
have to replace it. They don't. They may simply buy elsewhere.
CURB APPEAL Your front yard is an immediate reflection of the inside condition of your
house in the eyes of the buyer. The greater Naples area is a vacation resort; therefore outdoor
activities are important. People enjoy their yards. Make certain that the shrubbery is trimmed
so the house can be seen from the street. Mow the grass. Sweep the walkways. Clean away any
debris. Remove parked cars. This all adds to curb appeal. If a buyer does not like the outside
that person will simply drive on.
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